Article-carrying container



May 18 1926. 1,585,394

R. B. LAWRENCE ARTICLE CARRYING CONTAINER Filed July 51 1925 Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUBEN B. LAWRENCE, OF BETHESDA, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T FEDERAL LABORA- TORIES, INC., OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ARTICLE-CARRYING CONTAINER.

Application filed July 31, 1925. Serial No. 47,287.

This invention relates to article carrying containers and particularly to a handle therefor, which handle is provided with a self-contained gas emitting device whereby 6 an incapacitating gas may be released upon attempting robbery of the contamer from its user. It is particularly valuable for use in a handbag in which money or securities are carried.

I provide an article carrying container having a handle containing a gas emitting device with means for causing operation of such device when the carrier releases the handle. The gas emitting device discharges an incapacitating gas, such as a lachrymator,

and effectually prevents robbery of the container. The provision of a gas emitting device in the handle has many advantages.

It does away with the necessity of using a pull string, a trigger or the like to set the device in operation, and insures protection of the bag no matter what conditions may arise. Any attempt to snatch the bag from the hands of the user will invariably cause the gas emitting device to go into operation and surround the bag with an incapacitating as which disables any would-be robber. ince the entire structure is contained in the handle, the handle may be made remov- 39 able and attached to any particular hand bag as desired. After it has been used it can be very readily removed from a bag and re turned to the manufacturer for recharging.

The gas emitting device preferably comprises a hollow metal handle containing a mixture of.a gas producing substance and acombustible for gasifying the same. When the combustible is ignited it gasifies the gas producing substance and gives rise to a large quantity of incapacitating gas, together with vehicular gases of combustion which aid materially in rapidly surrounding the bag with an atmosphere into which no one can approach. Also, the heat of combustion causes the metal handle to become so hot that no one could pick up the bag even if he were equipped with a gas mask.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment of my invention,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a hand bag with a handle thereon in which my invention is embodied;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the handle on the line II-II of Figure 3;

Fi ure 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line IIIIII of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a view to reduced scale showing a complete hand bag with the protective handle attached thereto.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, there is shown a hand bag 2 provided with a protective handle indicated generally by the reference character 3. The handle 3 is attached to the body of the bag by links 4 which are held in place by links 5 and cotter pins 6. The handle 3 constitutes a self-contained gas emitting device which may be attached to any hand bag or other article carrying container and the removable links provide a ready means for separating the handle from one hand bag when it is desired, say, to attach it to another hand bag or to return it to the manufacturer for recharging.

The handle 3 comprises an open-sided body portion 7 having a complementary cover portion 7 These are preferably made of some light heat-conducting metal, such as aluminum, and when they are united they form a handle providing an easy grip.

Inside the body portion 7 and near the center thereof is a striker 8 mounted on a pin 9 and normally urged towards the left, as viewed in Figure 2, by a spring 10. The striker is held in the position of Figure 2 by a trip 11 having a handle portion 12 which lies below the body portion 7 in such position as to lie under the finger of the person carrying the bag. The trip is provided with a lug 13 which makes a pivotal connection with the body 7 and is further provided with a lug 14 against which the striker 8 normally bears. If the user for any reason releases his grip on the handle or dropsthe bag, the weight of the bag and its contents are taken off the trip 11 and the spring 10 forces the striker 8 to the left against a detonator 15.

Lying in the space between the detonator '15 and the end of the body 7 is a mixture of a gas-producing substance and a'coinbustible for gasifying the same. Preferably, the mixture consists of chloracetophenone crystals and gunpowder. Chloracetophenone is a substancewhich, when heated, produces a very strong lachry'matory gas and the gun powder furnishes ample heat for vaporizing the crystals. The mixture is preferably put in place as a paste, it being mixed with acetone to form such paste. The mixture is worked into position and the acetone evaporates, forming a solid cake which completely fills the end of the handle, as indicated at 16. The otherhand of the handle is also filled with the caked mass, as indicated at 16, and this is connected to the mass 16 by a powder train 17 lyin in a channel 18 which is formed in the body 7.

The chloracetophenone-gun powder paste is firmly tamped into the body 7 and 1s also built up so that it will fill the ends of the cover portion 7. When the cover 1s put in place it is secured by small screws 19 and by a nut 20 on the end of the pin 9. It Wlll be noted, however, that the entire handle can be charged and set before the cover is put in place, and this is of material advantage in manufacturing.

In order to hold the striker 8 to the position of Figure 2 when the apparatus is not in use, there is provided a safety catch 21 which makes a sliding fit in a groove 22 provided in the body portion 7 WVhen a handle is being charged the striker 8-is put back to the position shown, the trip '11 is put in place and locked there by the safety catch 21. The cover 7 holds the catch 21 in place, but permits of free endwise movement in the groove 22. I

When the bag is in use, the weight of the bag is transmitted, at least in part, to the handle through the trip 11 and its arm 12, and as long as the user keeps his fingers around the handle the device is inoperative. If, however, the user is attacked and forced to drop the bag, or if the bag is forcibly snatched from his possession the arm 12 immediately drops to the position of Figure 4 and the striker 8 is released, setting off the gas-producing substance. A- large quantity of incapacitating gas is produced and passes out of the handle through openings 23 in the portions 7 and 7 This incapacitating gas 1s mixed with the products of combustion of the gun powder which serves as a vehicular gas and aids materially in rapidly surrounding the bag with an unlivable atmosphere. As above stated, a mixture of chloracetophenone and smokeless powder is preferably used as this mixture has been found to produce a very effective tear gas which surrounds the bag over a continued period of time and prevents any one from approaching it. Even after the mixture in the handle is entirely consumed the atmosphere around the hand bag will be so charged with tear gas that it is impossible to approach the bag for an extended period. If desired, the length of time over which combustion takes place may be extended somewhat by adding an inert substance, such as magnesium oxide,

to the mixture. This serves as a retardent and also as a stabilizer for the mixture.

In addition to the protection alforded by the incapacitating gas which is produced, furtherprotection is secured by reason of the fact that the heat of combustion of the gun owder raises the temperature of the hand e so high that it is impossible to pick it up until the handle has cooled off materially.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the forms shown, as it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

'I claim:

1. An article carrying container, having a handle, a gas emitting device in the handle, and means for causing operation of the gas emitting device when the carrier releases the handle.

2. A handle for an article carrying container, comprising a self-contained gas emit-ting device and means for setting the same into operation.

3. A handle for an article carrying container, comprising a self-contained gas emitting device, means for setting the same into operation and safety means for the last mentioned means, and a removable connection for attaching the handle to the container.

4. A handle for an article carrying container, comprising a as emitting device, a trip lying under the ngers of the user and adapted to take at least a portion of the weight of the container when it is being carried by the user, and means operable upon release of the trip by the user for setting the gas emitting device into operation.

5. A handle for an article carrying container, comprisinga hollow metal body, a mixture of a gas-producing substance and a combustible for'gasifying the same at either end of the handle, and means in the central portion of the handle for igniting the mixture lying at either end of the handle.

6. A handle for an article carrying con tainer, comprising a gas emitting device,- a

tuating such gas emitting substance, and a cover for the body portion.

8. An article carrying container, having a handle by which it may be carried, a vaporizable gas generating substance within the handle, and a combustible within the handle for vaporizing the gas producing substance and heating the handle to make it difficult to hold.

9. An article carrying container, having a metal handle by which it may be carried, a vaporizable gas generating substance within the handle, and a combustible within the handle for vaporizing the gas producing substance and heating the handle to make 'it diflicult to hold.

10. An article carrying container, having a hollow handle made of metal and containing a mixture of a combustible and a vaporizable gas producing substance, the combustible being adapted for vaporizing the gas producing substance and materially raising the temperatur of the metal handle.

11. An article carrying container, having a hollow handle made of metal and containing a mlxture of a combustible and a Vaporizable gas producing substance, the combustible being adapted for vaporizing the gas producing substance and materially raising the temperature of the metal handle, and means on the under side of the handle for controlling the ignition of the combustible.

12. An article carrying container, having a handle by which it may be carried, a plurality of openings in the handle, and gas emitting means ,Within the handle adapted to discharge an incapacitating gas through the openings whereby the handle appears to an observer to be unsuitable for picking up.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RUBEN B. LAl/VRENCE. 

